Christian Horner is wary of the challenges that the new Jeddah Corniche Circuit might throw at Red Bull, with the team boss saying the extremely fast, 27-corner track is something very unique on the F1 calendar. Jeddah hosts the inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix this weekend, with the newly constructed track set to be one of the fastest of the year. Narrow and winding, lined with concrete walls, Horner has described the layout as "insane". "We head to Saudi Arabia for their first race where the track looks insane from [what] I've seen," Horner wrote in his latest column for the Red Bull website. "It's hugely fast and the first sector is like Suzuka, but with walls! It is going to be a massive challenge and I'm sure there will be plenty of excitement and drama." With most in the paddock expecting the power demands of the circuit to favour Mercedes, Horner admitted this will likely be the case. "We will be watching the Formula 2 race very carefully," he commented. "On paper, it looks like a power-sensitive circuit, so you'd say that tends to favour Mercedes, and it looks as though they feel that way too, but you just don't know."
Crunch time in the championship fight
With just two races remaining, the upcoming back-to-back sequence marks the climax of an intense year-long battle between Red Bull and Mercedes. The final race, in Abu Dhabi, saw Red Bull emerge as comfortable winners in 2020, but the recent track changes there led Horner to suggest that the form book doesn't apply. "In 2020, we were the first team to beat Mercedes [in Abu Dhabi] since 2013, but they've changed the circuit considerably," he said. "We will be preparing as best as we can to go there and perform and see where we end up. "Whatever happens at the end of this championship, we will know that we have given it everything we have got. "The racing this year has been incredible, and the rivalry is intense, it polarises opinions, but it also draws in a huge audience, which has been wonderful to be a part of."
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